


Dancing with the Devil

by poisonmask



Category: Original Work
Genre: Abusive Parents, Angst, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, Childhood Trauma, Curse Breaking, Curses, Death, Demonic Possession, Demons, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional Roller Coaster, Escape, Eventual Romance, Flirting, Fluff, Gay Male Character, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Hypnotism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Injury Recovery, M/M, Memory Loss, Mind Manipulation, Minor Character Death, Mystery, Near Death Experiences, Non-Consensual Touching, Paranormal, Sexual Tension, Short, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Trauma, Trust Issues, Unrequited Lust, toxic parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poisonmask/pseuds/poisonmask
Summary: People go missing, but nobody seems to talk about it...Seth Lee has been sheltered from the outside world almost his entire life, trapped inside the tenure of his parents mansion. On the week of his eighteenth birthday, Seth receives an invitation an annual ball run by the Henderson's, one of the richest families known to man. Naive and desperate to explore the outside world to its fullest, Seth decides to take the opportunity, and accepts the invite.Along with a portion of the other guests, Seth lives through a night of unimaginable horror when a patriant mysteriously collapses and dies, and a supernatural threat keeps them confined inside the mansion in terror. Seth knows the Henderson's are part of the scheme, willingly or not, and he's determined to expose the host's son, Arlo Henderson, who secretly taunts him in their impossible victory.The growing fear of the unknown outside the doors deteriorates their sanity, and bends their mind to the will of the curse, weaponising humankind's aggression and will to selfishly survive to watch the survivors turn on each other, and destroy themselves. But Seth is too determined not to the night end in bloodshed.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	1. The Invitation (Prelude)

**_Dear Mister Lee,_ **

**_You have been formally invited to attend the Henderson's Ball on the 10th December, Friday night. We are delighted to have you this year and do hope you enjoy your night with us. Please wear formal wear and limit the allocated invitation to the persons mailed to, as you must bring this to prove your place on our guest list._ **

**_Sincerely,_ **

_**Albert Henderson** _

Staring at the golden letter between his fingertips, Seth Lee couldn't believe what he was looking at. An invitation from one of the snobbiest, richest people in town? The young lad fell back onto his silk sheet with a quiet huff, lifting the letter above his head to give it another long, hard stare. His olive orbs had scanned the words plenty of times over, yet he was still in a world of disbelief. Despite coming from a particularly rich family, and even living his life cooped up in a pristine mansion on the outskirts of town, his mother and father had never once received an invitation to such a ball. It was odd, considering when Seth had noticed the letter lay on the marble floor by the door, there had only been one. It could have been a possibility his parents had gotten theirs already, but they would have informed him immediately, especially considering how they would boast about their reputation improving among those pretentious folks. 

Seth rolled onto his side, the letter crinkling softly in his hands. He didn't know why the letter came so late. It was currently a Wednesday, the 8th to be precise, usually the day his parents go off on a business trip and leave him in the company of the maids and butlers, locked up in his room like he was a prisoner. The thought of going out, discovering the town, leaving the mansion on his own accord did sound quite appealing to him. And yet, Seth didn't know the first thing about socialising with people. The idea of the whole ordeal somewhat scared him, considering he was only still young himself, having just turned an adult: eighteen. Surely his parents should allow him to leave the nest? To leave the mansion if he so wished to. 

He sat up, slipping off the edge of his bed and moving towards his wardrobe, opening it up and stepping inside. The long, built in opening held an assortment of clothes, his hands tracing the expensive fabric, all plain and the same-looking. Of course, his parents had picked it all out for him. His eyes fell to what he was looking for. Plenty of suits. Wearing something formal would be no problem for him. With a smile, Seth almost felt a shudder of excitement ripple through his bones as the thought of this ball lingered on his mind. Sneaking out, disobeying his parents...

...it was exhilarating. 


	2. Ride with the Ball Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Successfully sneaking out of the mansion, Seth encounters a family that offer him a ride to their shared destination.

The glass door snapped open, the bitter air whipping at Seth's hair as he cautiously glanced at his bedroom door, expecting it to swing open at the loud noise that echoed throughout the walls of the mansion. A breath of relief escaped him, squeezing through the gap and closing the door gently behind him. It was Friday night, the night of the ball, and Seth had titivated himself up once he was sure the house was asleep, slipping into an ironed black suit, pressed white shirt, and polished dress shoes. His black locks were wavy, falling delicately down his framed face, thickening at the back and swaying below his jaw. His father had always tried to trim it down, scolding him in more ways than once for letting it grow out, but Seth quite liked the length. With his hands gripping the fenced balcony, the young man's narrow eyes scanned the landscape before. Fenced off by those golden gates, with a dense forest surrounding them, the only means of escape being the winding road that disappeared into the darkness. 

Sucking in a breath, the short male propped his leg over the balcony, his stomach twisting and turning as he peered off the edge. He was lucky to be on the second floor, but from that height he could easily break one of his ankles - it wasn't like Seth was the most athletic individual. His pale hands tightly gripped the railing as he timidly rested his foot on the edge and brought the other over, eyes focused intently on where he was placing his feet. That familiar feeling of frozen limbs hit him, so he gave a thick swallow and ever so slowly crouched down, his eyes flickering up to his parents bedroom. The light was switched off, so Seth reckoned if he made little noise, he could really sneak out. That thrill returned, and with a small smile, the young man clambered down, his fingers curled around the balcony before he let go and felt himself suspended in the air for a brief moment.

He gave a grunt as gravity took its toll, tumbling onto the grass of the garden and falling flat on his face with a not-so-flattering landing. Seth huffed, dragging himself onto his feet and swiftly giving his suit a dust down to rid of any excess dirt. Lucky for him, he was still intact, as was his attire. Seth tilted his head upwards. 

Darkness.

His parents hadn't heard a thing. Patting his pockets to make sure the invitation was still in there, the young man glided quietly across the luscious garden, the darkness making it a little hard to see. He stumbled across his mothers flowers and shrooms quite a few times, as well as almost falling into the fountain and soaking his left sleeve, but after a difficult task of scaling the golden fence, Seth was finally headed in the direction of the woods. It wasn't like Seth didn't know where he was going - the Henderson's were a well known family, and the annual ball was the talk of the town, even amongst his parents. Even luckier for him, a half an hour walk. 

The gravel crunched under his steady footsteps, wind blowing his hair behind his shoulders as he passed tree after tree on the side of the road, eyes occasionally flickering upwards in anticipation, before falling back down to his feet again. Now that he was alone in the thickened silence, the only sound being the whistling of the wind and crunch of gravel beneath his feet, Seth was starting to feel a little anxious about going. It was a formal ball, one where people socialised, and danced together - Seth didn't know how to do any of that. With a heavy sigh, the young man finally reached the bricked wall that separated the forest and the town, walking between the two pillars with their family name engraved on, and swiftly took a sharp turn onto the pavement. The roads were sparse and quiet, only the faint sounds of car engines rumbling in the distance, his eyes nervously dancing from street to street in case he ran into anyway. In the distance, he could see small black dots turning into an estate hidden behind the trees, like black beetles swarming their home desperately. Seth reckoned that was the place, and so wrapped his arms around his torso and made way for his destination. 

Yet in charting his course, Seth failed to notice the rolling of tires slowing down next to him, and the purr of an engine idling next to him. 

"Pardon me, my boy." 

Seth froze, his head whipping round towards the slick limo that had rolled up next to him, an old looking fellow in the long passenger seat rolling down his window and gazing at him with a conflicted expression. 

"Why are you out so late, dressed like that? I don't suppose you're...going to the Henderson's, are you?" It took the man one swift look up and down Seth's tense body, before befalling his face, expression softening. "Don't tell me you're Seth Lee?" 

Surprised the man knew who he was, the young lad gave a timid nod, shuffling a little away from the limo. The hagged looking man had his light grey hair slicked back, covered in moose that had been settling in his roots for quite a while now. His soft eyes were tired and downturned, and upon giving a sly glance down the way Seth had been walking, he once more grabbed the awkward lads attention. 

"Do your parents know you're here?" His voice held a string of concern, yet it lowered in volume, as if edging the younger lad to shuffle towards the car in some sort of confidentiality. Seth merely shook his head. The man's shoulder visibly relaxed as a breath of air came from his lips, much like a worried sigh, before it was all quickly tied up with a jovial smile.

"Ah, I see. Well, walking out here in the cold won't do you a world of good, no matter how young and healthy you appear to be. Come here, my boy, I'll give you a lift down the street, it'll only be a couple minutes." 

The man's warming smile was enough to give into his kind nature, so seeing it as rude to reject such an offer, the quiet man gave a small nod in agreement, his body frozen on the spot. The old man gave a hearty laugh, giving him a world of praise as he himself rolled open the door of the limo after disappearing behind the rolling black tinted windows. Seth found it odd the man hadn't ordered the drivers in the front to do a task such as that, like his mother and father usually did, but he bowed his head respectfully none the less and clambered in as the man ushered him eagerly. 

The inside of the limo was a lovely cream colour, leather seats circling the centre where a small table sat secured into the floor, holding an assortment of champagne and wine bottles. There was a comforting warmth in the air that eased Seth's stiff body, and it was apparent by the way the older man had jokingly told him he could relax now he wasn't so close to home. 

'Whatever that means,' Seth thought to himself as the limo door was smoothly closed shut, and the chilly air was cut off. 

"I'm Hamitch," the old man grinned, holding his hand out in a polite gesture, to which Seth accepted and clasped his hand in his. The man had a firm shake, one that almost had the young lad pulled from his seat, and with a flush of embarrassment he composed himself and nodded his head. 

"Nice to meet you," he whispered softly, to which Hamitch gave a hearty laugh and slapped him on his shoulder. 

"So you do talk! I was starting to think that old voice box of yours was out of use, my boy." 

Seth laughed awkwardly along with him, clearing his throat as the old man continued to introduce the two other figures that had been wedged in the leather seats. One, who Hamitch had described as his wife, was jittery and unable to sit still in her seat, smoothing down her coral pink dress every once in a while or sipping at her champagne glass. Her mousy brown hair was pulled up into a tight bun, two perfectly placed braids on the side of her head and wrapped around the base of hair to finish off her intricate look, much like the patterns on her dress. Hamitch had whispered quietly in Seth's ear that the woman, Elizabeth, would be drunk on champagne before they even arrived. 

"Oh, shut up, Hamitch," the woman snapped, her gloved hand twirling the almost empty glass as her sharp eyes shot over towards the last figure," Bianca, don't be rude, we have a guest." 

Binaca Ball. A beautiful looking girl, with messy black bobbed hair and tanned skin, her bright red lipstick popping fruitfully against her skin tone and whitening her pearly white teeth. Much like her mother, she had worn a coral outfit, yet to Seth's surprise, she was dressed in a suit, the blazer cut sharply down her chest and glossy heels on her feet. The pants were loose around her ankles, yet hugged her curves on her waist, exemplifying her hourglass figure. Her green eyes flickered upwards from the phone clasped in her hand, grin widening as she glanced over at Seth. 

"Oh, dad, when did he get here?" She exclaimed, propping her phone clumsily on the leather seat, much to the dismay of her mother, who barked a warning at being so reckless. The young girl's warm hands found their way to Seth's cheeks, mushing them and exploring every inch of his face as she fussed over his hair and outfit, fixing up the creased or unwanted folds. 

"Your hair is so silky! And the length, that's gor-ge-ous!" She squealed, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him into her side. "Oh, father, is he coming with us?" 

Hamitch gave her raised brow. "Yes, Bianca. Now, if you keep smothering him, you'll suffocate the poor boy." 

With his face mushed into the girls side, he was finally able to gasp gallons of air into his lungs once she apologised and pushed him away, once again fixing up his hair and moving it out of his face before he could even process the fast moving girl. The high energy and touchy feely nature of the girl was something Seth could not keep up with, but as they rolled into the Henderson's drive and slowed down in front of the mansion, the girl assured him the two would stick together and have a blast, and when he saw that lovable smile on her face, he believed her. 


	3. Esteemed Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Henderson Mansion. Seth feels inferior to such a dazzling place, despite recieving a very uneasy feeling from the staff. Hamitch finds himself growing suspicious.

The Henderson Mansion. 

Truly a sight to behold. The grand entrance opened with a long line of marble steps, the patio area accompanied by four large pillars that sheltered the area just along the front door. Golden lights were spilling out of the arched windows, marble ridges along the underside of the balconies and the image of crystal chandeliers dangling from the ceiling. With the night creeping in, the place was illuminated in a lovely golden glow, and Seth was in awe of what he was seeing. The grey pathway circled around a giant fountain, the water rushing over the edges with a statue of a man standing tall and proud on the top. The statue appeared to be wearing what seemed to be 17th Century fashion, which Seth was fully aware of. He was made to wear similar outfits all the time - the long silky jacket with intricate clippings, ruffles by his wrists and hanging out of his shirt, tight pants reaching his knees and odd looking shoes. It even wore the identifiable hat. It was all rather old fashioned, so he pulled his eyes back and instead continued his quietly awkward journey beside Bianca.

Seth ought to ask, but he assumed this place had been run by the Henderson family centuries ago — its roots. It fascinated him to wonder how far back this family blood really seemed to go. The short haired girl was pressing her face into the window, her cheek unattractively smushed against the glass. 

“Wow, this place is amazing!” She marvelled, to which her mother only tutted sharply in disapproval and sipped at her champagne glass. The slick limousine circled around the fountain and stopped just beyond the few marble steps, only just realising how tall and imposing the mansion really was. Seth winced as the door was tugged open, and the golden light cascaded into the humid limousine like a glorious sunset. Hamitch was the first to exit, ushering his wife to leave the champagne alone and accompany him by her side, to which she sighed and cautiously clambered out. After a snap from her mother, Bianca pulled away from the window, a small imprint of smothered foundation staining the glass as she nudged Seth’s side to get moving, stiffly following behind the odd family. Seth watched curiously as Hamitch thanked his drivers on the way out, to which they replied with a warm:

“No problem, Mr Ball.” And disappeared from view. Seth fumbled with the ruffled collar so it was straight against the top of his chest, and nervously gazed at the front entrance of the mansion. The door was huge, the butler standing beside it seeming so minuscule compared to how far it stretched towards the ceiling of the patio. Hamitch gently ushered Seth to his side as the family ventured up the steps and towards the sour looking staff member, who held a clipboard of sorts clasped to his chest. His small eyes gazed up at them disinterestedly. 

“Invitations, please.” 

Shielding himself behind the tall, grey haired man, Seth awkwardly pulled his invitation from his pocket, which upon further inspection, had been crumbled slightly due to Bianca’s incessant pestering and manhandling. His heart hammered in his chest as he watched Elizabeth pull out three invitations, which looked pristine, completely untouched, not a single crease in them. She presented them to the butler, who skimmed the names on top before moving down to flip through the paper in his hands. 

“The Ball family. I do hope you enjoy your time here,” the man sighed, and it was clear he had been repeating the same thing over and over again for the night,” you can proceed.” 

Hamitch smiled and gave a chuckle. “And this little guy, if you will. He’s with us.” 

Seth felt himself being pried around the man’s side, his eyes darting to anywhere but the butler, whose stare was redirected immediately towards him. Seth, with a flush of embarrassment, flashed his invitation, trying to steady the pooling warmth and tightness in his chest. The butler’s eyes glinted. It was something easy to miss. A glint of expectancy, realisation, and fear. It was so subtle, it completely slipped by the poor boy, shakily bringing the invitation back to his side in hopes he had finished inspecting it. Hamitch’s brows furrowed as he gave the butler a long, hard stare. The butler’s eyes met the older man’s for a moment, before he cleared his throat and frantically skimmed through the list for Seth’s name. 

“A-Ah, yes, Mr Lee. Lovely to have you here, please proceed,” he bowed his head respectfully, allowing them entry to the Henderson’s mansion, and Seth felt a gentle hand on his back as he was pushed beyond the threshold, his heart skipping a beat. His head tilted towards Bianca, who smiled down at the small man thoughtfully, her bobbed hair swishing by her neck gracefully. The main lobby was stunning. A cream staircase curled around the sides of the lobby, melding together on the second floor to form the pathway, disappearing to god knows where. A branded black railing with curved edged followed it round eagerly, a set of paintings and furniture situated on the walls. Above them hung a giant glass chandelier, made up of tiny fragments of silver glass, projecting onto the walls and flooding the marble lobby with a heavenly divine glow. It was nothing like his parents mansion. It was better in almost every aspect. 

“Your invitations, please!” A friendly voice suddenly popped up from beside, making Seth flinch and eyes flutter in expectancy. When he titled his head to the side, he was met with a small maid, her lips twisted up into a toothy grin. Seth found it a little unevering. It was like her lips were sewn into place, forcing her to grin like an idiot, a tightness in her expression that allured to her intentions not solely being for friendliness. As the golden slips were passed over to her, the woman’s large eyes skimmed over the creased writing, her grin almost widening as her head snapped up and she gave a strained laugh. 

“Thank you! I’ll be escorting you to the ballroom! Please, follow me!” 

Seth swallowed, tugging at his ruffled collar as he felt an uncomfortable feeling creeping up the back of his neck. They were escorted through a labyrinth of hallways, their footsteps muffled by the red carpet beneath their feet, every twist and turn looking exactly identical. It made Seth worried. Where were the doors? The rooms? Why was this mansion a maze of hallways? Seth could only spot a small boxed area in the walls of the hallway, where those same old fashioned looking statues were placed, all of them identical and perched on a stand, just like the one outside. The boy counted twenty two of them before they finally reached a much wider hallway, the lights dimmer and arched door placed in the middle, the faint sound of music and bustling conversation flowing out from the small gap under the door. The maid swivelled around once she reached it, that giant grin on her face still prominent. 

“Thank you for attending the ball! I do hope you enjoy your stay, if you have any questions, please, do not seek assistance from the staff, the Henderson’s will be answering any and all questions when they arrive!” 

Her wide eyes darted over towards Seth, who felt a cold chill shoot through him, swallowing as she tilted her head and chuckled bitterly, opening up the arched door with a creak. The sound of laughter grew in volume as Seth pressed himself close to Bianca and dipped his head as he passed, feeling her eyes bore into him like hot pokers as he went. The ballroom was grand, much larger than Seth was expecting it to be, yet it seemed like the place was teeming and full to the brim with patriants. The same chandelier hung from the ceiling and gave off the golden light of peace that immediately calmed the boys' raging nerves, especially when Bianca placed a reassuring hand on the shoulder. He hadn’t realised he had been trembling so much, the image of so many people in one place shaking him to his core. He felt a little jittery even after he was pulled off to the side to the long table of food and drink, giving him some room to breathe. Bianca immediately started scoffing at the strawberries and chocolate fountain. 

“Not a fan of crowded places?” Bianca grinned with a mouth full of strawberries and chocolate, making Seth turn his nose up in disgust and shake his head. She lapped up the chocolate on her fingers as her green eyes gently flickered over the boy's features, who was glancing around the room nervously. 

“You don’t like to talk much, do you?” She gently pushed, Seth’s eyes finding hers for a mere millisecond before he tore them away. He gave a mere shrug as his response. Bianca raised a brow as she looked away and fished for some more strawberries, glaring threateningly at a man who had reached for them. She took a handful, making him scoff and move away. 

“I blame your parents,” she dryly admitted. 

Seth frowned. “What did my parents do?” 

Bianca turned to face him with her mouth parted, as if she was in utter disbelief at his words. She seemed to bite her tongue, desperate to say something, but she merely gave a sharp sigh and smiled down at him. 

“I’ll tell you when you’re older.” 

“I’m eighteen.” 

“Exactly,” she winked with a smirk, handing him a strawberry, to which he took and frowned up at her. 

“Aren’t you the same age as me?” He asked her, unsurely, testing the waters gently in case he was wrong. Bianca gave a hearty laugh and abruptly nudged his side in amusement. Seth wasn’t quite sure what she found so funny. 

“If it will get you to keep talking to me—” Seth flushed in embarrassment at the realisation. “—then sure.”


	4. A Backwards Waltz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Henderson family make their long awaited appearance. Seth finds himself enamoured by the host's son, and even has the privilege of being Arlo's dance for the night.

The night had been a pleasant surprise for the young man. He wasn’t sure how long it had been since he first arrived, but time had rushed past his eyes before he knew it. The light buzz of alcohol trickling through his system had eased his state of mind and worked wonders in opening him up. He had no problem talking to Bianca, finding a newfound sense of trust and comfort in the girl he had never felt with anybody in his life, not even his parents. The bobbed haired girl certainly seemed like she enjoyed Seth’s company, and was well past her fifth glass of champagne by now, obvious by the fact she wouldn’t stop making a scene with the other guests. Seth had merely laughed alongside her as Elizabeth hissed threats at her to stop embarrassing herself, but Bianca found it amusing to disobey her mother in such a way. If he was to be honest, he found it amusing too. 

After the tipsy girl had twirled obnoxiously around Seth with a hymn stuck in her lips, Seth shushed her with an embarrassed chuckle as his eyes hazily moved over to the stand at the end of the ballroom, a plumb coloured curtain rustling and parting for a moment before swinging back to its former place. With keen eyes, Seth noticed how everybody seemed to be staring in that direction, the sound of cheers and loud clapping making him frown softly. 

“What’s going on?” He asked in a hushed whisper as the girl appeared beside him, a huff leaving her plump lips. 

“The Henderson’s are probably finally here,” she shrugged, turning towards the food stand, which she had surely emptied by now,” I want some more food.” 

Seth’s eyes widened as he fumbled to stop her. “Wait, Bianca—”

The click of her heels disappeared from ear shot as he sighed in distress. He didn’t much like the thought of being left on his own, made to feel small, and open, but no matter how desperate he was to chase after her, he instead spun round, and awkwardly made his way through the crowd to get closer to the front. His curiosity to see this family greater than any insecurity or fear he held about being now by himself. He apologised profusely under his breath as he squeezed past dresses upon dresses and suits upon suits of bodies, keeping his head down as the laughter and applause died down, leaving the room in silence. He froze, clearing his throat softly as he stood beside a tall looking man and his wife, fixing his hair and peering around the puffy dress that was obscuring his vision. 

“I welcome, thee, to our annual ball,” the voice was deep, rich, and it made Seth’s insides feel a strange sense of warmth. His olive orbs raked across the three glorious figures, stood proud and tall, together as one, oozing a sense of power and control,” I’m so glad you could make it.” 

Alistair Henderson was a fine man. His silver hair was short, swept across his forehead, skin pale but lacking any sort of blemish or scar. He seemed almost like he was only twenties, but upon closer look it was clear there were some creases in the corner of his eye, and a tiredness in his eyes that led Seth to believe he held countless years in them. He had a stocky frame, and was certainly taller than Seth had ever imagined him to be, and his wife only seemed to be a few inches shorter than him. 

She looked stunning, her blonde hair braided around her head like a crown, cascading delicately past her shoulder blades like a waterfall. Her complexion was fair, a soft edge to her jawbone and lips shaped with a sharp edged cupid's bow. A blood red column dress hugged her curves with a satin material, thin straps on her shoulders and a v-neck to show off her glowing skin. She held her arms in front of her, the dress bundled in an organised mess by her feet, fiddling with the silver ring on her finger as a faint smile found its way onto her soft features. Emmaline Henderson. Bianca had been keen on meeting her. 

“We apologise for arriving so late,” Alistair chuckled apologetically, and the crowd seemed to snort as if the notion was not one for apologising for,” but we are thankful that you have all accepted our invitations. Due to an unforeseen problem, it was a shame we had to cancel last years event.” 

Seth felt a nudge beside him, his feet stumbling slightly as an older woman abruptly nudged past him to inch closer to the front. He dipped his head in embarrassment, feeling surrounded and trapped by piles of fabric that suffocated the very air around him. He hated this. He wanted Bianca. Where had she gone off to? In his small ball of anxiousness, Seth had made a point of sluggishly glancing upwards, and in his shy state, his eyes met somebody else's. He felt his heart stop. Aligned with the host's son, Seth felt trapped in the boy's stare, a strand of his wavy hair falling in front of his eyes. His face was still slightly flushed from the alcohol flooding through his system, which somehow did nothing to ease up the way his nerves locked every muscle in his body still. Arlo wore a suit similar to his fathers, yet the colours were switched — clean white suit, a blood red shirt and black tie. His fluffy blond hair was angled perfectly on his head, and unlike his father it wasn’t slicked back or shaped with any sort of gel. To Seth, his appearance was angelic. Soft, gentle, warm and…

And he smiled.

He smiled at him. 

Seth’s face flushed a dark red, his eyes frantically falling down to the floor and awkwardly lingering behind a poofy dress so he could no longer feel any eyes on him. His heart had skipped, butterflies fluttering in his stomach unlike anything he had felt before. It was like feeling nervous, but almost pleasant, and quite satisfactory. Alistair was talking, and the patriants were giggling along, but all Seth could hear was the raging bass in his ears. The heat was scorching hot, pricking at his skin like hot pokers and flowing to the tip of his body, fiddling with the ends of his fingers and keeping his head low. Seth ought to ask Bianca what was wrong with him — a fever? Is he coming down with something? His parents would surely know he snuck out if he came down with the flu.

Then everything became a blur. His head snapped up in surprise, bodies rushing past him and bumping into him like a pinball machine. Alistair must have wrapped up his welcoming speech, and now everybody was parting ways and continuing on with the ball, unbeknownst to Seth. He has tried to restore his balance, and if it had not been for somebody swooping down to catch him, he would have found himself on the floor like a pile of rocks. The figure hoisted him carefully onto his feet, and Seth’s instincts flared up, knocking the hands away with a slap and cautiously whipping around to find his assailant. 

“Woah, woah, hey, I’m sorry,” Arlo chuckled nervously, his hands raised up to show he had no intention of hurting him,” I was only trying to help.” 

That feeling returned. The nervous, yet not-so-nervous heat resonating in the pit of his stomach. The places where he touched itched unpleasantly, and although he knew he meant no harm, it still made him feel guilty. Seth fumbled to compose himself, bowing apologetically, which made Arlo give a hearty laugh. 

“No, please do not bow, there’s no need for formalities,” he assured, hand rubbing the back of his neck gingerly,” I’m not fond of them.” 

Seth obediently perked up, his face burning from the embarrassment spreading through his cheeks. Arlo looked even better up close — honey like skin, a sweet aroma wafting from his well ironed clothes — and his eyes had shamelessly roamed in the silence that had settled between them. Arlo hadn’t seemed to mind, though, a gentle smile on his caring face, glancing at Seth as if waiting for him to say something. When nothing was said, the boy finally spoke up. 

“You’re Seth Lee, correct?” 

He blinked in surprise. How come everybody knew who he was? Seth was never allowed out of the house. He cautiously nodded, and something in Arlo’s eyes seemed to shine, stepping a little closer to him. 

“I don’t mean to sound intrusive, but...do you remember me?” There was an edge of uncertainty in Arlo’s voice that confused Seth more than the question itself did. Fearing it would be rude to stare rather than answer, he shook his head slowly, and Arlo’s hopeful glimmer seemed to diminish in his blue eyes. He had never seen Arlo in his life. Sure, the name was certainly familiar, but being heir to a famous family usually subconsciously buried you in most people’s minds. But in his moment of guiltiness, Seth’s mouth parted ever so slightly. 

“Must I?” His voice was shaky, and a mere quiet squeak, but it had brought Arlo back to his senses soon enough. 

“No, of course not. I must have mistaken you for somebody else dear to me,” he casually brushed off, waving a hand airily. The strenuous tone in his voice told Seth otherwise — the small one wasn’t as stupid as he people thought he was, but he chose not to address the issue any further. His attention had been caught by the dimming of the chandelier lights, and an excited murmur rippling through the crowd, a nervous gasp catching in his throat as he anxiously gazed around for some sort of indication as to what was happening. 

“It’s the first dance of the night,” Arlo spoke up in a whisper, and Seth winced in surprise at his voice,” there’s no need to be nervous.” 

Dance. That was right, it was one of the reasons why Seth had been excited arriving here — ballroom dancing was one of his talents, something he picked up easily as a child, and one of the only things he still enjoyed. It was clear when the classical music filled the corners of the room the small man was excited, for his eyes twinkled in the dim lights and his stature had instantly heightened at the familiar melody. His eyes scanned the ballroom for Bianca, but Arlo wasn’t about to let him leave just yet. His initial frown had disappeared by the time he appeared in front of him again, hand held out for the unaware man to take. 

“May I have this dance?” He asked politely, and Seth’s eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the request and the flurry of butterflies it had seemed to give him. Arlo gingerly glanced off the side. “If I’m being honest, you’re my type. I think you’re cute.” 

All thoughts disappeared, his mouth open in an embarrassed stutter. “E-E-Excuse me?” 

Arlo merely flashed a toothy grin, and it did nothing to stop the growing redness flushing through Seth’s cheeks. His eyes refused to meet his gaze, watching as couples and guests partnered up, some who didn’t want to get involved watching from the sidelines with glasses stuffed in their hands and delighted smiles on their faces. It would be rude not to accept, in Seth’s eyes. With a breathy sigh to calm his raging nerves, he took Arlo’s gloved hand, accepting the invitation to dance, too nervous to meets his eyes. Their hands both reached for their waists, clashing together, causing them to sheepishly pull back in confusion. 

“I always lead,” Seth told him, eyes flickering upwards with a soft frown on his face. They were both men, sure, and although he was smaller, he didn’t want to be the lady. This was the one thing he was good at. 

“As do I,” Arlo seemed to challenge, which only irked the black haired male further. He stubbornly reached to wrap his arm around his waist, but Arlo caught his wrist gently before he could and instead guided it towards his shoulder. 

“The steps will be backwards!” Seth protested as they both took their center, Arlo’s arm curling around his waist and pulling him closer, his body bumping into his chest as a timid squeak left his lips. He ought to walk away! If he was going to be the lady a Henderson should at least be more respectful to his partner. The music had already counted down, and it was too late to back out now, for all the partners had taken their positions on the dance floor and were awaiting their count in. 

Two bars of eight left. 

Every little fidget was sending a burst of pins and needles through his skin, even despite the clothes that got in the way, and he was sure Arlo could feel how much he was writhing against him. Lifting his eyeline, Seth was met with the collar of Arlo’s shirt and blazer, and only now that he was eye level with it did he notice what was wrapped around his neck. A bright red jewel, strapped against his chest, reflecting his movements and almost glowing faintly in the darkness. It was quite beautiful, unlike anything he had seen before.

One bar of eight left. 

His hands instinctively tightened around Arlo, and the boy silently responded by giving a light squeeze back. He had never been so nervous before a dance before, his legs were practically trained to memorise his steps the correct way, flipping the choreography last minute was simply going to be—

He had almost missed the que.

Without Arlo pulling him along, he was almost certain he would’ve made a fool of himself, which he almost did. His head was hung, watching his feet like an amateur as they stumbled to find the rhythm and match Arlo’s perfect waltz, his ears burning a bright red at the thought of people watching the mess that was unfolding. A few beats later, he was able to catch up, concentrating on not mixing up his lefts and rights, before he felt comfortable looking back up again, his eyeline back to the same level as that jewel around his partners neck. There was a comforting warmth emanating from the young man, and Seth was finally moving with the loud music, a tentative smile spreading across his cheeks. 

Arlo’s jewel flashed a bright red. 

Seth jerked back, ripping his hands away from him to cover the stinging sensation that was burning the back of his retina, white spots dancing across the darkness in his vision. The pain drew a whimper from his lips, face wrinkled at the agony spreading painfully through his head. There was a loud thump. Seth had thought he was the one who had fallen, but Arlo’s arms were tightly secured around his waist, holding him up since his knees had buckled and gone weak, shaking his shoulders gently in concern. He couldn’t hear a thing, but by the time his eyes had adjusted, he saw the figure on the floor beside him, blood sliding down her cheek from the corner of her lip. Her skin was a sickly pale, coral dress sprawled across the floor. 

The room burst into screams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be sure to check the tags! This is a supernatural thriller and will include upcoming blood, gore, violence, and a lot of emotional burden. Thank you!


	5. A Stone Phenomenon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something seems off about Arlo, but there are more pressing matters when Bianca, Hamitch and Seth encounter a supernatural event in their rush to leave.

Seth didn’t dare move. His hands were tightly latched onto Arlo’s blazer, head buried into his chest and forcing himself to try and steady his rapid breathing. There was screaming, crying, shouting — Alistair was fumbling to calm the guests down while Emmaline forced those to step away from the limp body and investigate it herself, keeping her calm composure to try and relieve the guests of their growing worry and concern. Seth was trembling, the back of his eyes burning strangely and sending a dull ache spiralling around the base of his skull. 

He couldn’t look at the body. He just couldn’t.

There was a dry lump in his throat, limbs stiff as Arlo shielded him protectively from the body, trying to assure him with soothing whispers that everything was okay. 

“Underlying health conditions my ass!” Bianca roared, her voice dripping with a rage that made the poor boy flinch, squeezing onto the taller man tighter. “My mother was fucking healthy! This is somehow your fault!” 

Tears were streaming down her red face, and her body was rigid as if she was ready to launch herself at Alistair in fury, who was fumbling to keep the woman back and explain himself. “Please, this is an unforeseen tragedy, we don’t know what happened—”

“Bullshit! Bull-fucking-shit you rich, disgusting, dirty ass snob—” 

The air was thin, yet unbearably thick with tension, and Seth found himself struggling to breathe, and even so much as concentrate on calming himself down. The yelling, the body, the screaming—so many loud noises, so many scary people, he almost braced himself for a fight to break out, a terrified sob catching in his throat at the thought. 

“Could we please refrain from yelling?” 

Arlo’s voice was crystal clear, booming calmly against the sleek walls of the hall, which quietened down the loud murmurs and panicked cries coming from the guests who had parted from the body like the plague, leaving Emmaline by herself to check the woman's neck for a pulse. Her slim fingers kept on lightly pressing on her flesh, adjusting her angle in a desperate final search to faintly feel it. Her eyes fluttered shut, removing her hand with a soft, solemn sigh. Hamitch was desperately trying to hold his daughter back, since she was thrashing violently and trying to inflict a serious amount of harm on the host. She’d frozen when her narrowed eyes met Arlo, seeing Seth’s tremulous form, and with her nostrils flaring, she ripped away from her father and seemed to storm away without a word. 

Seth gave a breathy sigh, peeling his head from his chest with a ragged face, shyly meeting Arlo’s gaze. “Thank you…” 

He merely gave a calm smile in return. He didn’t look at all unsettled by the terrifying turn of events that occured, yet with the tense atmosphere and concurrence of Bianca’s previous lashing, it went completely unnoticed. Emmaline gently lay the woman on her back, fingers ghosting over eyelids with a solemn expression, and everybody seemed to watch expectedly as her eyes closed shut, indicating her parting from the human world. The lights were diminished. There was no power, no signal — it had alarmed everybody, a pitiful and mysterious atmosphere arousing, but out of respect, the guests aided in searching for a signal inside the tenure of the hall. A man, blazer dangling off his shoulder and blond hair tangled across his forehead, politely offered to go find the router to get the power in the building up and running, and Alistair had kindly told him where the head, before sending him on his way. He claimed he was a friend of the Ball family, and worked well with technology, so was quite alright with taking the weight off the Henderson’s shoulders. The man pushed open the doors, his head twisting from left to right for a brief moment, and it seemed he was taken back by something for a moment. The door closed behind him as he took a shaky step backwards, and as the doors closed shut, he had taken off in a hurry to his destination. Arlo watched him go, a smile on his face, and though it was subtle and barely tugging on the corner of his lips, there was something about it that sent an unnerving chill shooting through Seth’s blood.

And that was the end of the ball.

This unexplainable death was sure to rip the Henderson family apart, rumours spreading like wildfire. _They poisoned her, it was murder, that family brings bad luck, they payed the police off, why aren’t there newspapers on this?_ Seth could only be by Bianca’s side — he didn’t know what else he ought to do. She had refused to say a word, even shed any form of affection or accept any requests Seth had made. Hamitch had mourned, yet still pried the boy from his friend’s side, comforting him gently and making sure to fetch any food or water to ease his mind off the death that had ensued. He was a kind man, putting his needs aside to help others, even though Seth was a stranger he had only met tonight and spoken to a few times. Of course, he appreciated the gestures, but a shred of his heart ached to think he was being treated with such fragility. It hadn’t even been a lady he knew of. 

While Alistair gave a poignant message to the guests, Hamitch had insisted he and Bianca leave. He offered to drive Seth home, and even after he kindly turned his offer down, he had been quite adamant, and told him that they would be waiting outside. They swiftly parted, claiming the air was suffocating and they needed a moment to call the police outside, which they figured would have a better signal. The Henderson’s looked like they had something to say, but regretfully bid them an apology and a farewell. 

“Apologies won’t bring my mother back,” Bianca had spat, the door slamming against the walls as she left, frightening a few of the guests. They had seemed eager to comment on her rude behaviour and obviously poor upbringing, but speaking ill of the deceased wouldn’t go unnoticed, so they held their tongues. Seth’s hands were shaking. Never in his life had he wanted to return home so badly. The lump of jackets on the ballroom floor stung the back of his throat with bile anytime his eyes had subconsciously roamed over to it, sobering him up plenty with every timid glance. He rose from his chair, feet planting down on the ground unsteadily, and made a break for the door, hoping no one would notice his departure. He was more than ready to go home now after pondering on how he would even return to his room. That suddenly seemed like the least of his worries. 

“Where are you going?” 

A hand clasped firmly around his wrist, pulling him back firmly from his trail. He flinched, and whipped around, trying to tug his arm from Arlo’s strenuous grip. He had seemingly appeared out of thin air, Seth knew he was shrouded in so many different thoughts, but he wasn’t unaware of the outside world. For someone so on guard, the sudden presence made him feel highly uneasy. 

“I am leaving,” he informed him quietly, head facing the ground as he weakly pulled against the man. Arlo’s eyes were blank, lip pulling into a scowl of disbelief. It disappeared as soon as Seth peered at him through his messy hair. 

“I’m afraid that wouldn’t be a very good idea,” he told him matter of factly, biting back a harsh edge in his tone that he knew would just push the boy further away from him and closer to his own demise. Seth’s whole body was rigid already, alarm bells ringing in the back of his mind, skin itching where Arlo’s gloved hand met his skin. He pushed back his growing uneasiness inside his chest, but visibly, it was clear he was uncomfortable. 

“Why not?” He frowned softly, and when Arlo responded with a suspicious silence, the shorter male continued his incessant tugging, trying to prompt the man for a final time that he wanted him to let go. “Please, Hamitch and Bianca are waiting, they’re taking me back home—” 

“I can take you back,” Arlo pressed, stepping closer, which made him flinch back in alarm,” I can take care of you. You’re scared, aren’t you? There’s no need to be. If you stay, we can look after you. It won’t be ideal if you leave now.” 

Seth could feel his pulse quickening, a dryness in his throat that almost choked back his words and stalled them completely. He had this hinged look in his eyes, one that sent a chill shooting straight down his spine. “I-I...I-I’m...I need to go, t-they’re waiting for me—”

“Seth,” Arlo snapped, his brows wrinkling,” do _not_ step outside those doors. Am I clear?” 

His eyes widened at the sudden harsh tone laced in his words, shaking his head softly after an ounce of terrified hesitance. “W-What…? No, p-please, let go of me…” 

“Seth.” He warned again, causing Seth’s eyes to snap up to meet his in a frightened manner. Those once blue beautiful eyes that looked down upon him with a warm smile, were completely drenched in a blood red sea, glowing dimly in the darkness of the hall. It was like everything had seemed to blanken around him, his gaze focused and body suddenly feeling incredibly weighted. _“Stay here.”_  


His lips parted in protest, forcing his eyes shut when a strange sense of dizziness washed over him, his head ripping away. “Get off me!” 

His hands slammed into Arlo’s chest, shoving the blond off him with the most strength he could muster, hand flying up to his head to try and blink back the black dots and seed of a headache that had wedged itself in the back of his skull. Voices dropped, and eyes shot over towards the two, whispering to each other judgmentally and wondering what was happening. He struggled to steady himself. He felt like he had been ripped out of a different reality, he was suddenly aware of the air surrounding him, the floor beneath him, how heavy he felt. Arlo took a hesitant step towards him. 

“Easy now, sweetheart…” He mumbled, but Seth had already unsteadily spun around and made a swift break for the door. He almost bumped into Hamitch on the way, who had been waiting in the corridor with Bianca by his side, catching Seth gently before he managed to hurt himself. He harshly slapped his hand away, mostly because of the adrenaline coursing through his veins and disorientation plaguing his brain, thought upon realising he had had hurt him, his head snapped up apologetically. His eyes were filled to the brim with tears, but upon seeing Hamitch’s worried expression, he was able to ease the pounding fear. 

“Seth, my boy. Can you hear me?” 

Fuzzy. It was fuzzy, but Seth nodded his head regardless, and the older man let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders relaxing. He must’ve looked terrified bolting out of there to show such concern for his well being. He quietly assured the old man that he was quite alright with a few hasty words, making it painfully obvious he didn’t want to dwell on such a situation. Hamitch didn’t push it, and with a solemn sigh, he gently guided the two from the door, and they finally began their journey down the winding corridors. There was a sort of awkward silence between them, nothing but their footsteps muffled by the carpet beneath them, and the occasional time Hamitch would speak to complain about the maze of hallways in a stiff, but amused manner.

“They should have their staff on the ready to escort their guests out,” he awkwardly chuckled, taking another right as Bianca and Seth quietly followed behind,” terrible on their part, I must say…” 

Nobody replied. Bianca had occasionally turned to glance at Seth, with eyes that begged for her mouth to open to say something, but it never did, and she regretfully looked away once more. Her heels clicked silently against the carpeted floor, Seth’s head hung low, and Hamitch lost in his own thoughts. He had been endorsing himself with thoughts of Arlo’s strange encounter, when he suddenly felt a shiver hurdle down his spine. He swiftly halted in his tracks and abruptly spun around, eyes frantically scanning the dim, empty corridor, hands clasping together. Nothing. There was nothing there. Seth was sure he heard it, footsteps from behind them, quiet, but not completely masked, and he knew he wasn’t mistaken.

“Seth?” Bianca whispered coldly, and the voice made him turn around, his face a sickly pale. His eyes kept flickering between the empty corridor and the two figures, cautiously approaching them. 

“Somebody’s following us.” 

Hamitch’s gaze lifted, and there was a tired look in his eyes that seemed to spread through the creases lacing his skin, indicating he was far too lethargic to endure any more tantalizing hardships. That seemed to further push the younger man on a crumbling edge, knowing he didn’t believe his words. He was certain. He knew he was. He lightly tugged on Hamitch’s sleeve, head tilted back to gaze at him with pleading eyes, but Hamitch merely wrapped an arm around his shoulder and gently guided him around the corner as they continued their journey through the maze. His olive orbs would occasionally jump backwards and forwards, those pitter patter sounds growing closer and closer to them, sending his nerves spiralling through his veins. His mouth was open, repeating Hamitch’s name in a hushed, terrified whisper, his incessant tugging ceasing as the man pulled his arm away, turning to face him with an irritated expression. 

“Seth, _please_ , I do not—” 

He froze. 

Bianca did too, her eyes flickering towards her father with an annoyed glare, but seeing how pale his face had seemed to grow, her frown deepened in worry, and she followed their eyelines to the corrioder they had left behind them. There stood a statue. It was planted directly in the middle of the corridor, legs parted like it had almost been _walking,_ expression shadowed in the darkness that shrouded the air and delved into the creases and corners of the mansion’s construction. Seth’s breath painfully hitched, a daunting feeling slamming into him.

“What on earth…” Hamitch grimly muttered under his breath, tugging uncomfortably at the collar clamped around his neck. It was as if the air seemed to thin, chilling them to the core and sending their hairs on edge. There was no possible way that was real. Seth’s mind reeled as Hamitch sidestepped quietly towards them, and all three exchanged anxious glances with each other. 

“Come on, let’s hurry on home.” 

Bianca pulled her phone out of her pocket, acrylic nails tapping satisfactory against the glass, her head shaking softly. “Still no signal. I hate this fucking place!” 

The vile tone she spat made Seth flinch, eyes darting back over to the statue to avoid her eye line. Hamitch tutted in disapproval.

“Language.” 

Seth couldn’t help but wonder if Arlo knew about this. Was this why he was so adamant on making him stay? Was it his way of protecting him from this prank? The towering piece of stone was intimidating, still as it was lifeless, and that only dried the growing lump in Seth’s throat, his pulse racing. Hadn’t it been aligned with the painting just mere moments ago? The hand on his shoulder made him flinch, the gentle touch removing itself as he turned to a remorseful looking Bianca, beckoning him to continue their way through the maze. He hesitantly followed. 

“B-Bianca, I—”

He felt an arm push him back abruptly, and Bianca’s surprised voice bounce against the walls. “Holy shit!” 

Her face had been mere inches away from slamming into an outstretched, stone hand, a second statue peeking around the corner, crouched down slightly as if it had been ready to attack her. The three stumbled back, eyes darting towards the first statue, which was a hair's breadth behind them, eyes wide in horror and latching onto each other. 

“Father—”

“—stay back—”

“—what the fuck is this—” 

“—I-I do not know—”

“—father, they’re closer, t-they’re _moving_ —” 

Seth cowered behind Hamitch’s tall frame, terror gripping his body to the point where he was certain it was constricting his lungs and restricting his breath. _Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, where was he supposed to look? Each time he did, those things would be inches closer, an arm displaced, or a leg having taken a step forward…_ He didn’t dare blink, eyes frantically flickering between the two frozen figures which didn’t seem to move an inch, not even breathe. They couldn’t be people. It was impossible, but they appeared to be moving, moving behind their backs, moving as they frantically tripped over their two feet to desperately glance between the two. 

Amidst the utter panic and terror gripping him, Seth’s brain continued to whir, and somewhere in the back of his head, a nagging voice told him to still for a moment. And so he did. His eyes fixated on the first hunk of stone they encountered, hands trembling by his side despite the comforting grip on his shoulder, which belonged to Hamitch, desperately trying to make sense of his insane antic as they backed themselves up to the wall, too terrified to try and make their way past the figures. 

“Seth, what are you doing?” 

He merely swallowed, not daring to blink, but the nagging voice in the back of his mind was crying out in relief and triumph at the new found discovery. 

“B-Bianca, can you...keep looking at the other one? And d-don’t look away, please?” His voice was quiet, a whispery edge coating his words as the young woman made a scoff, but was keen to follow anyway, her eyes settling on the second figure as a shiver raced down her spine. 

_Momentary silence._

Their breaths were ragged, chests rising and falling jaggedly at the strange phenomenon in front of their eyes, and Seth’s sparse knowledge on how to somehow _disable_ them. Hamitch’s wrinkled brows loosened, eyes sweeping left to right in an effort to contain his growing nervousness. The dry lump in his throat made it difficult to speak, but Seth seemed to beat him to it. 

“I-I was right…” He mumbled to himself, yet his voice lacked any sort of confidence despite his best efforts. “...t-they stay still when we look at them. That’s why they were moving towards us so erratically.” 

“Please, speak English,” Bianca demanded in a harsh tone, hair splayed out in front of her face that she didn’t dare move out of the way in fear she might trigger a reaction out of the statues. 

Seth’s breath caught in his throat. “They only move when we look away.” 

“Absurd!” Hamitch cut in, but Bianca quickly shushed him. 

“So, we’re in some episode of Doctor Who then? How perfect,” she bitterly muttered under her breath, and though Seth wasn’t quite sure what that meant, he trusted her odd judgement to be correct. His eyes were glued onto the darkness where it’s eyes were, and it sent his hairs on edge thinking there was another pair staring _directly back at him._

Flanked, trapped in some sort of maze of hallways with _moving stone_ , Seth was starting to revaluate all the stories he has brushed off as mere superstition...


End file.
